All the basics you need to design a successful business planWhether you're starting your first business or you're a serialentrepreneur, you know how important a good business plan is toyour business's ultimate success. Bad or non-existent businessplans are a primary cause of business failure. But don'tfret! Business Planning Essentials For Dummies gives you allthe essential, practical information you need to succeed--fromdeciding what your business is really all about to building along-term vision of where your company will go. In between, thebook covers budgeting and finance, pricing, predicting sales, andmuch more.* Covers all the essentials of writing a business plan andgetting on the road to turn your plan into a reality* Serves as an ideal refresher or introduction to the topic in anaffordable small-format edition* Intended for anyone starting their first business or even justthinking about itBusiness Planning Essentials For Dummies is packed witheverything you need to know to get started on building your dreambusiness. So what are you waiting for?

Introduction 1Chapter 1: Letting Your Plan Take Flight 7Chapter 2: Figuring Out What's So Special about You 19Chapter 3: Sizing Up the Competition 27Chapter 4: Spotting Opportunities, Dodging Threats 39Chapter 5: Separating Yourself from Your Business 49Chapter 6: Budgeting for Start-Up Expenses 65Chapter 7: Figuring Out Prices and Predicting Sales 77Chapter 8: Calculating Costs and Gross Profit 91Chapter 9: Planning for Expenses 107Chapter 10: Assembling Your Profit & Loss Projection 119Chapter 11: Developing a Strong Marketing Plan 133Chapter 12: Pulling Together Your Written Plan 147Chapter 13: Ten (Almost!) Questions to Ask before You're Done 161Index 167